Collapsible box.



No. 888,554. PATENTED MAY 26, 1908.

- W. I. TUTTLB.

GOLLAPSIBLE BOX.

FFTQ.

WASHINGTON I. TUTTLE, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

GOLLAPSIBLE BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 26, 1908.

Application filed January 14, 1907. Serial No. 352,246.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it'known that I, WASHINGTON I. TUT- TLE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Baltimore, Maryland, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Collapsible Boxes, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to telescoping boxes or rece tacles, which arecharacterized by. a series oi nesting sections, which, when the box orreceptacle is in collapsed or telescoped condition, lie one within theother in close relation, but which may be extended telescopically toincrease the capacity of the box; suitable connections being madebetween the sections so as that they will not become separated from oneanother.

Broadly considered, telesco ing boxes and receptacles of this general 0aracter are old, and my present improvements have to do withcertam'details ofconstruction of this generally old type, which make forchea ness, strength and durability; which resu t in a receptacle havingmaximum ca acity in both its colla sod and extended con ition'; andwhich, eitl fer in extended or collapsed condition, present an interiorwhich is practically free from objectionable crevices and projections,which crevices and projections would not only interfere with the closepacking of the receptacle, but would also form catch-alls for thecontents of the box.

. In the drawings herewith, in which I have illustrated one embodimentof my invention in order that the samemay be clear to those skilled inthe art: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a box constructed inaccordance with my invention, the box being shown in that view incollapsed condition with the cover open. Fig. 2 1s a slmilar'vlewshowing the 1 box extended and the'cover closed. Fig. 3

is a longitudinal section of the collapsed box. Fig. 4 isa transversesection of the box extended. Fig. 5 is a detail view to show the meansfor locking the box sections together in collapsed condition.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, corresponding parts beingdesignated by like numbers in the different views, 2 indicates the boxbottom, which, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, has the peripheral head 3which forms a seat to receive the vertical wall 4 of the box, saidbottom 2 and its attached wall 4 forming the lower section of the box.The wal'l'4 is rolled inwardly at its top to form an inwardly projectingbead 5, and preferably the head 5 greater is reinforced by a wire, so asto give stren th and rigidity to the section and reduce likelihood ofdistortion, which, it is a parent would interfere with, if it did notabsolutely prevent, telescoping of the sections.

Sliding within the bottom section first described, is a second section6, which is pro vided at its bottom with an outwardlyturned,wire-reinforced bead 7; the sections fitting snu ly with theiroppositely turned beads 5 an 7 in contact with the proximate walls; andit.will be seen by reference to Fig. 4 that in extended position of thebox these beads engage each other and lock the parts against completeseparation; but in collapsed condition (see Fig. 3) the section 6 restsupon the bottom 2 of the box.

Reference to Figs. 1 and 3 shows that the bottom section and the section6 are substantially of the same height, so that when nested, as shownmore clearly in Fig. 3, the section 6 projects but little, if any, abovethe outer or bottom section. Within the section 6 is mounted anothersection 8, which, in the present embodiment of the invention is shown asthe topor last section said section 8 having an outwardly-turnedwire-centered bead 9 which engages a similar head 10 turning inwardly atthe top of section 6, as clearly shown in Fi 4. The section 8 hassecured .thereto, in t e three-section ty e of receptacle herein shown,the cover 11 w 'ch is hinged at 12 to the side wall of section 8, thesaid section 8 being beaded at 13 near the top to give it rigidity andform the cover bead, and preferably the upper edge of the section isturned injas at 14 to give greater strength and a neat finish to thetop. The cover 11 is provided with a projecting button 15 which issecured by a washer 16 on the underside of the cover,

which button 15 is designed to receive a latch 17 secured to the section8 by means of a U- shaped fastener 18, the ends of 'WhlCh pass throughslits in the front of the section andare turned down as shown clearly inFi 4. The said top section 8' carries also the bail 19 which is securedto the ends of the section by means of cars 20 the side limbs 21 ofwhich enter slits in the walls of section 8 and are bent down so as tolock the cars 20 firmly in place. The said cars 20 preferably stand awayat their bail-engaging ends from the .walls of the box, (see Fig. 3), soas to give clearance for the handle or bail 19 and permit it to swingfreely out'of contact with the box, said bail 19 being of such size asthat it will fall outside of the box as shown in Fig. 1 and be out ofthe way, either'for convenience in packing the boxes or to permit freeopening of the cover 11. The said ears 20 have their lower ends 22sprung outwardly, as shown, so that when the box is in collapsedcondition the ends or links will enter between the sections 4 and 6.(see Fig. 3) this entrance of the ends 22 being automatically effectedwhen the sections are telescoped together. Each downwardly projectingend 22 has a small teat or projection 23, referably stamped up from'themetal, whic engages the rib 5 on the lower or bottom section to 1 lockthe parts together in collapsed position;

' eflective loc "the natural elasticity of the adjacent walls of thesections clamping the locking end 22 sufficiently to effect this lockedcondition, but not reventing the ehd 22 from snapping into anc out-ofplace. This feature is of considerable im ortance as it gives a simpleand king device to hold the arts in collapsed condition, if it should soappen that the frictional engagement of the secv tions was insufficientand this feature is of heads 9 and 10, is free to telescope within thesections below it until it rests upon the bottom 2 of the lower section.The cover section 8, furthermore, is so proportioned relative to theother sectionsof which the box is made, that, when the box is incollapsed condition, it extends above the other sections, thereby givingclearance for the ears, bail, and cover so that they will not interferewith the collapsing of the box by striking the lower sections, and alsopermits the use of the downwardly extending locking end of the ear. Itwill be seen that in the collapsed condition of the receptacle theinterior surface of the box is unbroken, its area being defined by thebottom, the cover, and the surrounding side walls of the upper section8, only, without projections or crevices at any point on its interior tocollect and retain the material packed therein. This absence of crevicesand catch-alls is partly due to the fact that the sections are soconnected to each other that there are no interior upwardly-facingbeads,ledges, orprotuberances to catch the material which may be placedin the box, for it will be observed that since each of the severalsections telescope Within the adjacent lower section and have at theirlower ends outwardly rojecting beads, it is possible to provide in'vidual sections with smooth interior faces, and have the jointsvbetween the several sections for downwardly facing ledges, so thatmaterial can find no lodging place on the interior of the box eitherwhen it is in extended or collapsed condition. When the box is incollapsed condition as shown in Fig. 3, and as described above, thiscondition of an absolutely smoot hinterior, without break or crevice, isdue to the fact that the sections may telescope without hindrance untilthey rest upon and are supported by the bottom 2 of thebottom section,and since there is nothing to prevent close contact between the loweredge of the cover section 8 and the bottom of the lower section,obviously no crevice or opening exists through which the material cancreep, and an absolutely smooth interior is secured. Furthermore, bythus constructing the upper section and assembling it with the othersections as described, the walls of the section 6 and bottom section cannever come in contact with the material initiall packed into the box,which is usuall to acco, (it being understood that this ox is primarilyintended, although not restricted, for use as an original package inwhich tobacco issold, the box, after the contents originally placedtherein have been used, havin been found very serviceable as anextens1on lunch box or kit) and these side walls are thus kept sweet andclean and uncontaminated by the contents of the original packa e, sothat after the tobacco has been use it becomes necessary only to cleanthe inner wall of the top section 8 and the bottom 2 to fit the box foruse as a lunch kit or receptacle.

It will be understood, of course, that such changes in form andconstruction as involve merely the work of the designer and mechanicianmay be made without de arting from the s irit of my invention, and I 'donot,

there ore, limit myself to the details of construction shown anddescribed except in so far as I am limited by the prior art to whichthis invention belongs.

Having fully disclosed my invention, I claim:

1. In a collapsible box and in combination; a bottom section, one ormore intermediate sections, an uppersection of greater height than theother said sections which projects above the tops of the other sectionswhen the box is in collapsed condition to form a lid and hail carryingextension, anda lid and hail secured to the extended portion of saidupper section.

2. In a collapsible boxand in combination; a bottom section, one or moreintermediate sections, an upper section of greater height than the othersaid sections so as to extend above the tops of the othersections whenthe box is in collapsed condition, means for locking said sectionsagainst complete separation when in extended position,

and means earriedby said upper section to automatically engage thebottom section and lock the box in collapsed condition.

3. Ina collapsible box and in combination; a l)()t;t-0II'L-SOCti0ll, oneor more intermediate sections, ,a-uupper section of greaterheight-'than-the other said sections so as to extend above the tops ofthe other sections when the box in collapsed condition, means'forlocking said sections against complete separation when in extendedposition, and looking-limbs carried by said upper section to enga ethebottom section and lock the box in calapsedtcondition.

4. A box comprising a series of collapsible sections, and a springlocking limb carried by one section and adapted to engage and lock theseries in-jco'llapsed condition.

5. A box comprising a series of colla )sible sections, and a lockinglimb extending downwardly from theupper section adapted to enter betweenthe ower sections and lock the series in collapsed condition.

6. A box comprising a series of collapsible sections, and a downwardlyextending limb. on the upper section having a locking teat adapted toenter between the lower sections and lock the series 'in;collapsedcondition.

7. A box comprising a series of collapsible sections, bail-carryingearson the upper section, downwardly extending limbs on said ears to enterbetween said lower sections, and locking teats on said limbs to holdsaid series in colla )sed condition.

8. In a collapsible box, the combination with a series of telescopingsections, of an ear carried by one of said sections and having anupwardly projecting bail-carrying portion and a downwardly projectinglimb to lock the series in collapsed condition.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my 'hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

- WASHI- NGTON I. 'lUT'lLlC.

Witnesses:

ELIZABETH A. PARKER, RICHARD W. MARonAN'r, Jr.

